“The one I love had a vineyard
    on a very fertile hill.
² He plowed its land^[b] and cleared it of stones.
    Then he planted it with the choicest vines,
built a watchtower in the middle of it,
    and dug a wine vat in it;
He expected^[c] it to produce good^[d] grapes,
    but it produced only wild ones.”^[e]

³ “So now, you inhabitants^[f] of Jerusalem
    and men of Judah,
judge, won’t you please,
    between me and my vineyard.
⁴ What more could I do in^[g] my vineyard,
    that I haven’t already done?
When I expected it to produce good^[h] grapes,
    why did it yield^[i] wild ones?^[j]

⁵ “Now, let me tell you, won’t you please,
    what I’m going to do to my vineyard.

“I’m going to take away its protective hedge,
    and it will be devoured;^[k]
I’ll break down its wall,
    and it will be trampled.
⁶ I’ll make it a wasteland,
    and it won’t be pruned or cultivated.
Instead, briers and thorns will grow up.
    I’ll also issue commands to the clouds,
        that they drop no rain upon it.”

⁷ For the vineyard of the Lord of the Heavenly Armies
    is the house of Israel,
and the men of Judah
    are the garden in which he delights.^[l]
He looked for justice,
    but saw only bloodshed;
he searched^[m] for righteousness,
    but heard only an outcry!